restoration – Be Still…

Ezekiel 37:15-28 – Reunited

Read Ezekiel 37:15-28

With all that is going on in the present-day geographical area of the land of Israel and Judah, Jacob’s inheritance, it’s hard to read this passage and wonder if the land and people will ever be united like this again? I’d sure like to think so. So many years and generations have passed.

There were days that fulfilled this prophecy when the captives started returning home to Jerusalem. When we read the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, we are reminded that, for the most part, the people were on board with wanting to know more about their God and very much interested in pleasing him. You’ll always have the “outliers” who were still drawn in to idolatrous behaviors, and even the rebuilding years weren’t perfect. Continue reading “Ezekiel 37:15-28 – Reunited”

Ezekiel 36:1-15 – God Cares Deeply

Read Ezekiel 36:1-15

You may recall in Chapter 6 how Ezekiel’s prophecy focused on God’s creation. Here again, God calls out to the mountains as if they had ears to hear. Nature had nothing to do with the fall of God’s people. The mountains were simply in the wrong place, taking the abuse resulting from the people’s sinfulness.

Do you think Ezekiel wondered how in the world he would do what God asked this time? What went through Ezekiel’s mind when God said, “Therefore, son of man, give the mountains of Israel this message from the Sovereign Lord.” Do you think that Ezekiel thought God had lost his marbles? How silly would he look talking to the hills of Israel! Continue reading “Ezekiel 36:1-15 – God Cares Deeply”

Zephaniah 3:14-20 – Promised Restoration

Read Zephaniah 3:14-20

God, our divine warrior, has promised restoration. “At last your troubles will be over, and you will never again fear disaster.” Like our last reading, the descriptions of what life looks like and the pictures painted by Zephaniah are beautiful and enticing!

Can you imagine what the people thought when they heard that God himself would be living among them? In the days of Moses, the people feared the presence of God. But this oracle would be fulfilled when Jesus was born, and again when Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would dwell within us. We have knowledge Zephaniah’s first audience did not. We should feel richly blessed to see Jesus in this promised restoration.

Joel 3:1-12 – Judgment for Our Enemies

Read Joel 3:1-12

In our previous reading, Joel speaks of a time when those who call upon the LORD will be saved. This prophecy seeks to alert all the enemies who ever harmed God’s people that their judgment is at hand. They were not going to get away with their abuse of God’s loved ones. The time was coming for “pay backs.” God said to the enemies of his people, “I will strike swiftly and pay you back for everything you have done.”

We see here the example of God gathering all nations together in one place. The word Jehoshaphat means “the LORD judges,” so this was probably a symbolic reference, not necessarily a physical location. Can we assume that God still judges those who abuse us?

Joel 2:18-27 – Restoration

Read Joel 2:18-27

What divine intervention! If Joel’s earlier words led his audience to believe they would be the laughingstock for belonging to the one true God, this passage lessens the distress. Can we assume that the people did repent and pray and this is God’s response?

Have you ever feared or experienced mockery for your faith? How did that make you feel? Did you realize God was there all the time?